2 pounds sea bass fillets, cut crosswise into 2-inch serving pieces, or substitute any firm white fish
Salt
½ cup flour
8 to 12 large lettuce leaves, washed and dried
16 pitted ripe black olives
½ pound "queso blanco", sliced ¼ inch thick and cut into triangles 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, or substitute fresh "mozzarella" or Munster cheese
How To Cook:
THE SAUCE:
1. Preheat the oven to 250°. Drop the quartered baking potatoes into a large pot with enough lightly salted boiling water to cover them, and boil briskly until they are tender but not falling apart.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining the chopped onions, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and Cayenne pepper, and beat them together with a whisk or fork. Then beat in 1 cup of the oil.
3. Drain the potatoes and mash them to a smooth puree either with a fork, a potato ricer or an electric mixer. Beat in the sauce a tablespoon or so at a time and taste for seasoning.
4. Transfer the potatoes to a large heatproof serving platter, mound them in the center, and cover the platter loosely with foil. Keep the potatoes warm in the oven while you prepare the other ingredients.
THE TOPPING:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sliced onions and chili strips and add sufficient salted water to cover them completely.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain off all the water, and in its place pour in the ½ cup of olive oil, the vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
3. Bring this to a boil, then cover the pan and simmer the mixture over moderate heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep it warm.
THE VEGETABLE GARNISH:
1. Fill two 3- to 4-quart saucepans with about 2 quarts of water each. Bring them to a boil over high heat and drop into each the sweet potatoes and yuca.
2. Boil briskly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Drain them and place them on a heatproof plate, cover with foil and keep them warm in the oven.
3. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Drop in the corn and boil briskly, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the tenderness of the corn.
THE FISH:
1. While the corn cooks, fry the fish fillets. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderate heat in a 10- to 12-inch skillet until a light haze forms above it.
2. Lightly salt the fillets and dip them in the flour. Shake off any excess flour and fry the fillets for about 2 or 3 minutes on each side, or until they are crisp and golden brown, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.
TO ASSEMBLE:
1. Remove the platter of sauced, mashed potatoes and the plate of sweet potatoes and yucas from the oven. Reheat the topping if it has cooled. Drain the corn.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves in an overlapping ring around the mashed potatoes. Remove the fish from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place the fish, the sweet potatoes, yucas and corn rounds decoratively on the lettuce.
3. Pour the topping sauce over the mound of mashed potatoes and decorate it with the black olives and cheese wedges. Serve at once.
